Muzzle Flip in Snubbies?

[Geronimo45]

I've seen many folks shooting real bullets out of a snubby .38 of some variety. A lot of folks say how the recoil is agonizing - so I expected to see the recoil as being vicious.

Well, says self, I have seen monster magnums shot off. Muzzle rise. The .357 magnums shot off. Muzzle rise. Little .32s shot off. Muzzle rise. Therefore, when someone shoots a .38 snubby, the muzzle should noticeably go up, like any self-respecting magnum wheelgun or autoloader.

Self noticed the guy from S&W academy on Personal Defense TV, shooting a .38 snubby. Lo and behold, no muzzle rise to speak of (minute muzzle rise).

So, self is wondering: why the devil don't .38's have more muzzle flip?

 

[Lou22]

It mostly has to do with weight, grip and power. .38 specials are generally much less powerful than the .357. I have a 16oz Charter .38 undercover snub that weighs only 16oz, with big rubber grips, that has almost no recoil. I also have a 28oz .357 snub that is also easy to shoot. I think most of the tough recoil you hear about is people shooting .357 mags out of snubs in the 12 to 16 ounce range.

Lou

 

[JNewell]

Self noticed the guy from S&W academy on Personal Defense TV, shooting a .38 snubby. Lo and behold, no muzzle rise to speak of (minute muzzle rise).

Was it a Centennial-style (640/642/etc.) J-frame? Two things there. The backstrap on the Centennial J-frames comes up higher than the standard J-frames. If you choke up on the grip, as S&W Academy teaches (taught?), the recoil force is a little more straight back. The other thing is that if it was a steel rather than alloy gun, the extra half pound or so will dampen the recoil and slow it down a little.

 

[jad0110]

If you choke up on the grip, as S&W Academy teaches (taught?), the recoil force is a little more straight back.

In this way, I experience less muzzle flip with my 686 shooting 357s (or my 642 with 38+P) than my Springer XD shooting 9mm. Granted, the recoil is greater with the 686 .

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

My model 36 isn't bad with standard ammo. It does buck a little bit with Speer 135+P gold dots.

 

[wcwhitey]

Ditto to what Jnewell says. When I shoot my 640 very little of the gun is actually seen. A very high grip to the point that the trigger finger is at a downward angle. It works well. The muzzle tries to rise so a tight grip is necessary. I guess it is also because it is a shorter lever. I can say that the recoil is still felt and after a box of +p's you know your were shooting for sure but they are controllable.

 

[Croyance]

"Like any self respecting magnum" - but the .38 Special is not a magnum. Proper technique and platform has a lot to do with it too. I've seen people unknowingly pull the trigger a second time with a .500 S&W because the recoil is so heavy - while nearly braining themselves from the recoil. But that is worlds apart from the .38 Spl, even with a smaller platform.